Recipes courtesy of Jim Peyton, Lo Mexicano (lomexicano.com)
Makes 4 servings
8 corn tortillas
Spray oil
8 oz. mild cheddar cheese, shredded
1 recipe New Mexico-style green chile enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
"Soften" the tortillas. Give one of the tortillas a quick burst of spray oil on both sides then lay it in a plastic tortilla warmer or on a towel. Spray the next tortilla on one side and lay it on the first one with the sprayed side up. Do the same thing with the remaining tortillas. Put the top on the tortilla warmer or fold the towel over them and microwave for 35 seconds on high.
Roll the enchiladas. Put about ¾ ounce of cheese in a line just off center of a tortilla and roll it into a tight cylinder around the filling. Repeat the process, making a total of 8 enchiladas. The enchiladas can be made to this point several hours before serving and refrigerated.
Heat the enchiladas. To serve, put two enchiladas, side by side, on each of 4 serving plates. Cover the enchiladas with equal portions of the sauce and top with the cheese. Microwave each plate, separately, for about 45 seconds on high.
Note: To make enchiladas, tortillas are usually first dipped in hot oil to make them pliable and to keep them from becoming soggy. The technique using spray oil works just as well as the original and adds very few calories and fat. Also, the enchiladas can be heated in a 350° F degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, but they tend to dry out, so the recipe calls for microwaving them instead. For a delicious diet version, simply use cooked and shredded chicken breast for the filling and top the enchiladas with a small amount of the cheese.
New Mexico Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
Makes enough for 4 servings of enchiladas
2 t. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ c. Hatch, (or substitute poblano or Anaheim chiles plus ½ habanero chile as described
above) peeled, seeded and chopped
1 c. white onion, chopped
½ c. tomato, chopped
½ t. salt
1½ c. water
Roux made with 1 t. olive oil and 1 t. all-purpose flour
Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and garlic and cook just until the garlic has softened, but do not allow it to brown, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients, except the roux, and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes or until most, but not all, of the liquid has evaporated. Add the roux and continue to simmer until the sauce is bound together and no longer watery.
Note: This recipe, which makes the best green chile enchilada sauce I have ever tried, was developed by Katy Meek, who founded the famous restaurant La Posta in Mesilla, New Mexico in about 1939. I was fortunate to interview Katy for La cocina de la frontera: Mexican-American Cooking from the Southwest before her death.